The present invention relates to packages for electric lamps and more particularly to a container for an electric lamp having a bulbous shaped glass envelope formed at one end and a metallic base at the opposite end. The invention further relates to electric lamp packages manufactured from a unitary blank of single ply material.
In the field of electric lamp packaging, the prior art discloses a great number of packaging concepts, some directed to a particular application or lamp configuration while others are directed to a more general area of lamp production. In some packages, a separate corrugated paperboard carton having opposed open ends through which a single bulbous shaped lamp is inserted are further encased in a sleeve or similar element which covers the carton's open ends. Some cartons are directed to the packaging of two or more lamps within a single carton and contain separators or other means for defining a plurality of lamp receiving chambers, or compartments, to prevent the lamps from physically contacting each other while in the package. While attempts are often made in the lamp packages to provide attractive containers or those which display the contained lamp, the primary object of these packages is generally to prevent damage to 20e fragile electric lamps during shipping and handling.
The protective features of the package become extremely critical when providing a container for a fragile but relatively heavy lamp which may be costly to manufacture, such as a typical sodium lamp found on the market. The lamp is generally prepared for shipping by being packaged singly in a container and then being placed in a larger cardboard box with several other containers. To facilitate the handling of the sealed boxes in the warehouses and during loading and unloading, a number of boxes are usually placed on a pallet and the pallets are then stacked one upon the other. As a result of such stacking, the individual lamp containers in the shipping boxes are subject to compressive and jouncing stresses which may cause the container walls to buckle and collapse resulting in the glass bulbs being crushed and broken. In particular, and specifically for heavier lamps, a disproportionate amount of breakage has been found to result from axial motion of the lamp in the carton. Breakage may also occur during normal handling by the manufacturer, distributor or consumer, should the container be dropped, producing a shock load to the fragile glass envelope of the electric lamp. As is evident, the likelihood of breakage during handling is enhanced, should the electric lamp be free to move about in the container.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container for an electric lamp which is simple in construction and which is effective to inhibit breakage of the lamp when the container is subjected to compression, shock or vibration during handling.
A further object of the invention is to provide a container for an electric lamp which is simple in construction, being formed of a one piece blank having appropriate fold lines and cut-outs to complete the construction, without the aid of additional pieces.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container for an electric lamp which may be employed advantageously in the packaging of a single lamp which lamp may be of substantial size and weight while being fragile in construction.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a container for an electric lamp which can be easily assembled employing a single blank of paperboard material, rendering the construction relatively inexpensive to produce.